The Secret History Behind Poland's Flag

Poland's flag is only two colors, and both come from one bird.

White and red come from the national coat of arms: a white eagle on a red field. The Sejm declared white and red the national colors on February 7, 1831, during the November Uprising. The flag as we know it, white over red, was formally adopted by the Sejm on August 1, 1919, after Poland regained its independence.

Turn it upside down and you get the flag of Indonesia: red over white. Two countries on opposite sides of the world, one pair of colors in reverse.

Poland even has a day for it: Flag Day is celebrated on May 2, set by a law passed on February 20, 2004. In the United States, October is also Polish American Heritage Month.

The date printed on every Poland design in our catalog, November 11, 1918, is Independence Day.

One eagle, two colors, and a country that put them back on the map.

See the Poland Warsaw Mermaid Tee → · Browse the East Europe collection → — or explore the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Story Cards page.